COLONIAL  BOOK  STORE 

12S  GREEN  ST. 
WORCESTER.  MASS. 


A(\  ^,^x  /P^ 
J^rj^-ja^ 
^y  (M^^i 


WAPvNING 
TO 


LOVEI\S 


^l^-\N\/A^ 


' 


\\\        f! 


TO 


sU' 

<& 

u 


NEW 

DODD,MEAD 

1906 


"~^i^ 


SAUCE  FOKTHE  GOOSE  is 

SAUCE  FOKTHE  GANDER? 


PAUL  LEICESTERJOR^ 

AUTHOIV.OF 

JANICE  MEREDITH" 
'^WANTED, A  MATCHMAKEK"  ETC. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 
^4ix  HENKT  HUTT   J|% 
AND  DECORATIONS  BY 
T.M.CLELAND 


Copyright,  1898 
By  PAUL  LEICESTER  FORD 

Copyright,  1906 
By  DODD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 


Published,  September,  1906 


The  University  Press,  Cambridge,  U.  S.  A. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Frontispiece 

"  '  Won't  Freddy's  mother  be  sending 
his  nurse  for  him  if  he  stays  much 
later?'" 22 

" '  I'm  not  a  child,  and  I  won't  be 
deared  by  you '" 44 

"  It  took  those  two  over  four  times 
longer  to  come  down  than  it  had 
taken  them  to  go  up "  .  .  .  .  66 


A 


"  This  occupied  some  time,  but  the 
clock  never  told  on  them  "  .    .     .    86 


A 


WARNING 


LOVERS 


tv 


A    WARNING    TO    LOVERS 


EFORE    some 


blazing  logs, 
which    fill   a 


deep  fireplace 
with  warmth 
that  overflows 

to  just  the  right  extent  into  the 
room,  stands,  slightly  skewed,  a 
sofa.  The  sofa  is  a  comfortable 
one.  It  is  short,  deep,  and  low; 
and  the  arms  have  a  suggestion 
of  longing  to  be  filled  that  is  truly 


(itwrniii"' 
/i^M^I' 


£-. 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

seductive.  In  addition,  two  down 
cushions  imply  that  the  sofa  is 
quite  prepared  to  fit  itself  to  any 
figure,  be  it  long,  short,  broad,  or 
narrow.  Altogether,  it  is  a  most 
satisfactory  sofa. 

But  the  satisfactoriness  does 
not  end  here.  Seated  at  one  end 
of  that  sofa  is  a  girl,  clearly  in 
that  neither  grass  nor  hay  period, 
which  begins  at  sixteen  and  ends 
at  eighteen.  Not  that  it  is  in 
tended  to  suggest  that  because 
the  girl  is  neither  hay  nor  grass 
she  is  unattractive.  Quite  the 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


reverse.  New-mown  hay  is  the 
sweetest,  and  the  girl,  if  neither 
child  nor  woman,  is,  in  her  way, 


just  as  sweet. 


In  algebra,  when  a,  b,  and  c 
are  computed,  it  is  possible  to 
find  the  unknown  quantity  x. 
Applying  an  algebraic  formula 
to  the  above,  we  at  once  deduce 
what  is  necessary  to  complete 
the  factors.  It  may  be  stated 
thus :  a,  a  sofa,  plus  b,  a  charm 
ing  girl ,  and  as  at  a  sofa,  must 
be  divided  by  two,  we  find  the 
unknown  quantity  to  be  x,  a 


^  j^Hjl  y^^yMW  Tv^/    V/^T 

^aMW  (t^^y^^-^w^ ] 

^n'^^//'  /T^vV'^v^r^^k  i 

l^^/f  ^^bWl^T^/> 
^^^^AA^m^S^j  '^vt^Sv 


^^^^i^M^^wi 

^^^f^®^^^/¥^  & 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

man,  and  the  product  of  our  a, 
b,  and  x  to  equal  xxx,  or  triple 
bliss.  Nor  is  this  wrong.  The 
sofa  does  not  do  more  than  seat 
two  people  comfortably,  yet  at 

I 

the  present  moment  there  are 
little  spaces  at  both  ends.  Con 
cerning  the  other  details  of  this 
a  -T-  2  +  b  +  x  —  o  (L  e.  Mrs. 
Grundy),  it  seems  needless  to 
enlarge. 

"And  isn't  it  wonderful, 
Freddy,  that  you  should  love  me 
and  I  should  love  you?"  cooed 
the  girl. 


A<£ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"Just  out  of  sight,"  replied 
Freddy.  J 

Most  people  would  agree  with 
the  above  remarks,  though  the 

circumstance    of    a    man    and 

•       if     t     •  u 

woman  occasionally  loving  each 

other  is  a  phenomenon  recog 
nised,  if  not  approved,  by  science. 
But  though  these  two  did  not 
know  it,  there  was  a  wonder 
here.  Freddy  has  been  spoken 
of  in  the  masculine  gender,  be 
cause,  as  Shakespeare  wrote : 
"The  Lord  made  him,  therefore 
let  him  pass  for  a  man."  Other- 


m^  u*m 


^  i 

A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

wise  his  manliness  was  open  to 
debate.  Lovable  the  girl  unques 
tionably  was,  or  at  least  very  fast 

--~yj>  /  J  <cVA^> 

verging  upon  it,  but  it  passeth 

human  intelligence  how  Freddy 

^  j 

could  inspire  any  sort  of  feeling 
except  an  intense  longing  for  a 
gun  loaded  with  goose-shot. 
"And   that  we  should   have 


loved  each  other  for  so  long,  and 
never  either  of  us  dreamed  that 
we  cared  one  little  bit  for  each 
other,"  continued  the  girl. 

Freddy  did  not  assent  to  this 
sentiment  as  readily  as  to  the 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

former.     Freddy  had  been  quite 

.,    .  „  it, 

sure  that  Frances  had  been  pining 

for  his  love  in  secret  for  some 
months.    So  he  only  remarked: 


"We  got  there  all  the  same." 

v  \\  If\  ^j.i^3-~^i.*-^  \ 

"Yes," assented  Frances.  "And 

TV  *   //" 
we'll    love  each   other   always, 

now." 

"  But  I  say,"  inquired  Freddy, 
"what  do  you  think  your  father 
and  mother  will  say  ?  " 


''  Why,  they  '11  be  delighted 
cried  the  girl.  "It  couldn't  be 
better.  Cousins,  —  and  just  the 
same  age  —  and,  and  —  Oh, 

9 


JT 
»» 

» 


,-K 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

lots  of  other  reasons,  I'm  sure, 
but  I  can't  think  of  them  now." 

"Let's  tell  them  together," 
suggested  Freddy,  courageously. 

"Freddy!  Of  course  not.  That 
isn't  the  right  way.  No,  you 
must  request  an  interview  with 
papa  in  his  library,  and  plead 
eloquently  with  him." 

"  I  suppose  I  must,"  answered 
Freddy,  with  a  noticeable  limp 
ness  in  his  voice  and  vertebras. 

"Wouldn't  it  be  fun  if  he 
should  refuse  his  consent!"  ex 
claimed  the  girl. 


A  @     s*      „  -<%?  SI) 

i \\^'i  *^J\ii&t  &  <\ /i- 

<j)    y:if7]^;x/  r^z 
"^Ms  /ffll     (  i  '  A 


A 

f 


•XT*  feffl 


)tH 

«1k  ' 

A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

Freddy  did  not  recognise  the 
comical  quality.   "  I  don't  see  it," 


he  moaned. 
"  Why,  it  would  be  so  roman- 


tic!   He  would  of  course  order 


you    to    leave    the   house,  and 
never,   never   darken    his  doors 

/r     V    ill  k. /      T 

again.    That's  what  the  father 
always  does." 

"You  think  that's  fun?" 

"  Such  fun !  Then,  of  course, 


we  should  have  to  arrange  for 
romantic  meetings,  and  secret  in 
terviews,  and  you  would  write 

little  letters  and  put  them  in  a 

i  ///  //  )// 


-^d  Y  /  i  1\^X      r-  Zi^ 

1^v±^ 

A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

prayer-book  in  our  pew;  and 
watch  to  get  a  glimpse  of  me  as 
I  go  in  and  out  of  places;  and 
stand  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street  each  night,  till  you  saw 
the  light  in  my  room  put  out. 
Oh!  What  fun  it  will  be!" 

"It  might  be  raining,"  com 
plained  Freddy. 

"All  the  better.  That  would 
prove  your  devotion.  Don't  you 
love  me  enough  to  do  that  ? " 

"Yes,"  said  Freddy,  meekly, 
"  but  I  hate  getting  wet.  Some 
times  one  catches  a  nasty  cold." 

12 


BSf1 


C*Z 


,'  "V^ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"Any  one  who  tells  a  girl 
he  loves  her  with  a  fervour 
and  passion  never  yet  equalled 
by  man  should  not  think  of 
such  things,"  asserted  Frances, 
disapprovingly. 

Freddy  had  an  idea  that  a  girl 
who  reciprocated  such  a  passion 
should  not  seem  so  happy  over 
the  prospect  of  her  lover  under 
going  the  exposure,  but  the  youth 
did  not  know  how  to  express  it. 
So  he  proposed:  "Let's  keep  it 

^™~~— A\  ;        s 

a  secret  for  the  present." 
"Let's,"   assented   Frances. 


-- 


c >>^--j-^-*x  J^C\^'>^Y  v    |  \\ 


Dwm 

/rOt 

y^mk 


V-  • 

\-l 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"We  won't  tell  any  one  for  a 
long  time,  but  just  have  it  all  to 
ourselves.  And  when  I  am  rid 
ing  in  the  morning  you  must 
join  me ;  the  groom  will  think 
it 's  all  right.  And  whenever 
papa  and  mama  are  to  be  out  in 
the  evening,  I  '11  put  a  lamp  in 
my  window,  and  —  " 

Ting ! 

It  seemed  as  if  some  of  the 
electric  current  which  made  that 
distant  muffled  ring  had  switched 
and  passed  through  the  happy 

pair.     Both  started  guiltily,  and 
•  * 


^  ! 


xwfe 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


\  \V      (LHt*        U    \\l     >i 

^^s^l 

then  both  listened  with  the  great 
est  intentness ;  so  intensely,  that 
after  a  moment's  pause  they  could 
hear  the  soft  gliding  sound  of  the 
footman's  list  slippers  as  they 
travelled  down  the  hallway ;  could 
hear  the  click  of  the  lock  as  he 
opened  the  front  door;  could 
hear  the  murmur  of  voices ;  could 
hear  the  door  closed.  Then,  after 
a  moment's  silence,  a  voice,  for 
the  first  time  articulate  to  them, 
said :  "  I  '11  wait  in  the  morning- 
room." 
"  Freddy,"  gasped  the  girl, 

15 

S&^L 


9" 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

"it's    that    horrid    Mr.    Potter. 
Quick  !  " 

Both  had  arisen  from  the  sofa, 
and  Freddy  looked  about  in  a 
very  badly  perplexed  condition. 
He  was  quite  willing,  but  about 


gr- 

what  was  he  to  be  quick  ? 

^-^r^Tx^.i  '^O.-s1^.  \  \\l.f/ 


i.  '  V  -' 

\p  \/  n 


"Sit  down  in  that  chair," 
whispered  the  girl,  pointing  to 
one  at  a  more  than  proper  dis 
tance,  and  Freddy  sprinted  for  it, 
and  sat  down.  The  girl  resumed 
her  seat  on  the  little  sofa,  and 
putting  her  hands  in  a  demure 
position,  rather  contradictory  to 


16 

&HO 

p  v '  >!  /< 


fr^T 


ft\w 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

her  quick  breathing  and  flushed 
cheeks,  began  :  "  As  you  were 
saying,  the  De  Reszke  brothers 
were  the  only  redeeming  — 
Oh  !  Good  evening,  Mr.  Potter." 

"  Good  evening,  Frances,"  re 
sponded  a  tall,  rather  slender, 
strong-featured  man,  attired  in 
evening  dress,  who  had  leisurely 
strolled  into  the  room,  and  who 
did  not  offer  to  go  through  the 
form  of  shaking  hands.  "  Talk 
ing  to  the  fire  ?  " 

"No.  Freddy  and  I  were  chat 
ting  about  the  opera." 


17 


-^ 

4 

lip 

^j»>     \S 

^4k^  v- 
%&A 

Mr.  Potter  put  on  his  glasses 
and  languidly  surveyed  the  re 
gion  of  the  fireplace.  Then  he 

x^  s  ->'"'  I  ^  /  /  '    0^  / 

turned  and  extended  his  investi 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


gation,  till  his  eyes  settled  on 
Freddy,  stuck  away  in  the  dim 
distance. 

"Oh,  are  you  there,  young 
ster?"  he  remarked,  in  a  tone  of 

voice  implying  that  the  question 
i  j    <-»  i 

carried  no  interest  with  it.  He 
looked  at  his  watch.  "  Is  n't  it 
rather  late  for  you  two?" 

"It's  only  quarter  past  ten," 
answered  Frances,  bristling  indig- 

18 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

nantly.  "  And  if  it  were  twelve 
it  wouldn't  make  any  difference." 
To  herself  she  said,  "  How  I  hate 
that  man!  Just  because  he's 


thirty-four,  he  always  treats  us 


as  if  we  were  children ;  and  the 
way  he  tramples  on  poor,  dear 
Freddy  is  outrageous!" 

//!    v/V/^-^ 

'You  don't  seem  to  be  very 
sociably  inclined,"  said  Mr.  Potter. 
"  From  the  distance  between  you 
I  should  think  you  two  chicks 
had  been  quarrelling.  Come, 
make  it  up." 

"  Not   at  all,"   cried   Frances, 

19 


2^ 

A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 
indi 


indignantly.  "  I  never  lose  my 
temper;  except  when  you  are 
here." 

"  Is  that  the  reason  you 
have  n't  asked  me  to  sit  down  ? " 
asked  Potter,  smiling. 

"  Of    course   you  are    to   sit 


«ssH 


s; 


down,  if  you  want,"  exclaimed 
Frances.  "Here."  And  she 
moved  the  four  inches  towards 
her  end  of  the  sofa  that  had  not 
been  occupied  under  the  previous 
arrangement. 

Mr.  Potter  seated  himself  lei 
surely  in  Freddy's  old  place,  and 


M^Ml^CW, 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

arranged  one  of  the  cushions  to 
fit  the  small  of  his  back.  "I 
came  to  say  good-bye  to  your 

mother,"  he  explained,  "and  as 

r — -~- 

w   \^N 


I  'm  too  busy  to  stop  in  to 
morrow,  I  decided  to  wait.  You 
youngsters  need  n't  think  it  nec 
essary  to  sit  up  to  entertain  me. 
Won't  Freddy's  mother  be  send 
ing  his  nurse  for  him  if  he  stays 
much  later?" 

"  I  'm  so  glad  you  are  going  to 
Europe,"  remarked  Frances.  "I 
hope  you  '11  stay  a  long  while." 

Mr.  Potter  put  his  glasses  on 

,X^'/,,A'\X/J: 

, .'   v^^S-k ;].  / ,/  •  \  y~^* 


21 


ffi. 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

again  and  looked  at  Frances 
calmly.  "  Hello ! "  he  said  men 
tally,  "  the  kitten  's  learning  how 
to  hiss."  Aloud  he  announced : 

i    \      V   '    /         |     \T      /^Alr"""\  W   M  Vf-     ^       ('/ "^    '*•• 

"  I  shall  be  gone  for  only  a  month 
0 

or  two,  —  just  the  voyage  and  a 
change." 

"What  a  pity!"  responded 
Frances,  bitingly. 

"I  thought  you'd  miss  me," 

O  J 

replied  Mr.  Potter,  genially. 

r 

I—  t*O  t^  /"*£kC      rrO  -\tC^      Ot^        iit-^/i/lC-Tr     t-v^  /™vt  *  r\ 


Frances  gave  an  uneasy  move- 
;  ment  on  the  sofa,  a  cross  between 
an  angry  shake  of  the  shoulders 


Won  i  Freddy's  mother  be  sending  his  nurse  lor  him  if  lie 
stays  much  later?'  " 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


"Where  are  you  going?" 
questioned  Freddy  at  this 

VVHI 

point,  feeling  that  as  a  grown 
man  he  must  bear  his  part  of  the 
chat. 

"  Look  here,  littleun,"  said  Mr. 
Potter,  "  if  you  expect  me  to  talk 
to  you  back  there,  you-  At 
this  point  he  suddenly  ceased 
speaking,  as  if  something  more 
interesting  than  his  unfinished 
remark  had  occurred  to  him. 


"  Freddy  found  it  too  warm 
by  the  fire,"  explained  Frances, 
hastily,  guilty  at  heart,  if  to  out- 


t^  \ll^"^ 

A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

ward  appearance  brazen.  But 
Mr.  Potter  did  not  hear  what  she 
said,  and  sat  looking  into  the  fire 
with  a  suddenly  serious  look, 
which  nevertheless  had  a  laugh 
not  very  far  underneath. 

After  quite  a  pause,  Frances 
said :  "  How  entertaining  you 
are ! " 

"Yes,"  assented  Mr.  Potter, 
coming  back  from  his  thoughts ; 
"I  always  enjoy  myself,  and  I 
find  that  other  people  do  the 
same."  Then  he  again  relapsed 
into  meditation. 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 


"  Is  n't  he  just  as  horrid  as  can 


be?"   raged    Frances,  inwardly. 


Wu\y^ 
"  He  believes  just  because  some 

women  think  him  clever,  and  be- 

> 

cause  men  like  him,  and  because 

\\  !;  SgsSssgA/Al  ^7^'.   ^ 

he 's  a  good  business  man,  and 


because  mama's  always  praising 
him  to  his  face,  as  she  would  any 
one  who  was  papa's  partner,  that 
he  is  perfect.  And  no  matter 

how  you  try  to  snub  him,  he  is 

j          j 

so  conceited  that  he  won't  see  it. 
Horrid  old  thing  !  "  Aloud  she 
asked,  "What  are  you  thinking 
about?" 


-vm&  ^CATOT  *M 

, 

5N§J^  •  C  "\\\'"'.i>  ^—/5fi\  vy^^x^X/x'"  A'^'I'^W-V    \?'^-v^  /^^^-^  f,  A 

i^^^^&^y^/w^  M;i  ws^^1 


^^& 


K1 

A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

,••  X    /•'. 

V\VN^', 


ion  / ) 

Mr.  Potter  laughed.    "  That 's 
a  great  secret,"  he  asserted. 


An  hour  later,  Mr.  Potter  was 
seated  in  a  library,  smoking,  with 
a  glass  of  seltzer  —  and  some 
thing  else  —  at  his  elbow.  Oppo 
site  to  him  sat  a  man  of  perhaps 
twice  his  years,  equally  equipped 
with  a  cigar  and  seltzer  —  and 
something  else. 

"  Well,"  remarked  the  senior, 


"  I  think  if  we  can  get  the  whole 


issue  at  82J  and  place  them  at 


!\  rCNJY 


H  %'i>^  ^mr^^^^ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

87  and  accrued  interest,  we  had 
better  do  it." 

"That's  settled  then,"  agreed 
Mr.  Potter.  "  Now,  is  there  any 
thing  else  ?  I  don't  want  to  have 
cablegrams  following  me,  since 
I'm  going  for  a  rest." 

"No,"  replied  the  other.  "I 
know  I  shall  want  my  partner's 
advice  often  enough,  but  I  '11  get 
on  without  you.  Take  a  rest. 
You  can  afford  it.  There's 
nothing  else." 

"Then  if  you  are  through 
with  business,  I  want  to  speak 

27 


at  Mr.  Potter  quickly.     "  What 
about?" 

l  "  Do  you  know  that  that  girl 's 

grown  up,  and  we  none  of  us 

r      A  v:>" 

have  realised  it  ? 
"Well?" 


]l~\\  j  Sj 

"And  do  you  know  that  she 
has  seen  next  to  no  people,— 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

to  you   of    Frances,"   said    Mr. 
Potter. 
Mr.  De  Witt  turned  and  looked 


m 

_4V>iK , 


Wfflft 

nfir> 
m?* 


that  her  morning  ride,  her  studies, 
and  her  afternoon  drive  with  her 
mother  are  the  only  events  of  her 
day?" 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 


;'  Well  ? " 

"And  that  her  summers,  off 
in  that  solitary  country  house  of 
yours,  with  never  a  bit  of  com 
pany  but  Freddy  De  Witt  and 

xchfiStfti^ 


myself,    are    horribly    dull    and 
monotonous  ? " 
"  Well  ? " 

VV  Cil  [ 

"  And  that  to  kill  time  she  reads 


a  great  many  more  novels  than  is 

J 

good  for  any  one?" 


"Come,   come,   Champney, 
what  are  you  driving  at?" 


"  One    more    question.     Mrs. 

> 

De  Witt  and  you  are  dining  out 

29 


zy    ,-r^    ^ — 7  Z2__-if.^i$^  PV 

^^MU'-^mf^lkM^^. 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

almost  nightly.  What  do  you 
suppose  Frances  does  evenings  ? " 

"  Does  ?  Plays  a  bit,  and  reads 
a  bit,  and  goes  to  bed  like  a  good 
child." 

"But  I  tell  you  she  isn't  a 
child  any  longer,  so  you  can't 
expect  her  to  behave  like  one. 
It  dawned  upon  me  this  evening, 
and  the  quicker  it  dawns  upon 
you  the  better." 

"Why?" 

"  Do  you  want  her  to  make  a 
fool  of  herself  over  Freddy  ? " 


"Freddy! 

At*X> 


9/P* 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

"  Yes,  Freddy." 

"  Ridiculous !    Impossible !  " 

"  Because  they  are  a  long  way 
towards  it,  and  if  you  want  to 
end  it,  you  '11  have  to  use  drastic 
measures." 

"  Her  own  cousin,  and  only 
eighteen !  I  never  heard  of  such 
folly." 

"  But  I  tell  you  those  two 
think  they  are  in  love  with  each 
other,  and  if  you  don't  do  some 
thing,  they'll  really  become  so 
before  long.  Thinking  a  thing 
is  two-thirds  of  the  way  to 

31 


*m 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

doing  it,  as  is  shown  by  the 
mind  cure." 

"  I  '11  put  an  end  to  it  at  once," 
growled  Mr.  De  Witt.  "  Never 
heard  of  such  nonsense." 

"  And  how  will  you  end  it  ?  " 
inquired  Mr.  Potter,  smiling  a 
little. 

"  End  it  ?    Tell  them  to  stop 


m 


(iFii 

-dtf 


\v 

their  foolishness.    Send  him 
about  his  business." 


^?O 


"I  thought  that  would  prob 
ably  be  your  way.  Don't  you 
think  it  would  be  better  to  get 
an  injunction  from  the  courts  ?  " 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


"  What  good  would  an  injunc 
tion  do  ? "  asked  Mr.  D< 


crossly. 
J 

"Just  as  much  good  as  your 
method.    You  can  no  more  stop 


s£\\ 

V//  V 

V'-\   I  v 

boys'  and  girls'  love  by  calling 

it   foolishness  than    the   courts 

<?VC  v" 

&^ 


can.  If  you  do  as  you  propose, 
you  '11  probably  have  a  runaway 
match,  or  some  other  awful  bit  of 
folly." 

"Well,  what  can  I  do?" 

"  The  best  thing  is  to  pack  your  6 

r 

trunks  and  travel  a  bit.    That  will 

*~r"  j  '  ~\.  ' » •    * 

give  her  something  else  to  think 


Vib 


,^\ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

about,  and  she  '11  forget  all  about 

the  little  chap." 

"  But  I  can't  leave  the  business." 
"         business  will  run  itself. 


Or,  if  it  won't,  what  's  a  year's 
profits  compared  to  your  only 
daughter's  life-happiness  ?  " 

"But  the  bonds?" 

"  Don't  bid  on  them." 

"  I  can't  go.  I  can't  leave  my 
business.  Why,  I  haven't  been 
away  from  it  for  more  than  a 
week  in  forty  years." 

"  All  the  more  reason  for  going 
now." 

34 


•^ 

?  Uf%^ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"I  have  it.  Her  mother  and 
she  shall  sail  with  you." 

"  Oh,  get  out !  "  ejaculated 
Champney,  "  I  'm  going  for  a 
rest."  Mr.  Potter  had  been  the 
slave  for  many  years  of  two  sel 
fish  sisters  and  a  whining  mother, 

—  a  mother  who  loved  to  whine, 

—  and  womankind  meant  to  him 
an  absolute  and  entire  nuisance. 

"  That 's  it,"  said  the  senior 
partner,  regardless  of  this  protest. 
"You  arrange  to  stay  for  six 
months  instead  of  two.  I  '11  do 
your  work  gladly." 

35 


J/1 

pfsx  //OH 

»Clr 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

"  I  can't,"  groaned  Potter. 

"  Come,  Champney,"  whee 
dled  the  elder,  "  you  say  yourself 
that  my  little  girl's  life-happiness 
depends  on  her  going.  For  my 
sake  1  Come !  I  did  a  good  turn 

for  you  —  or    at    least    you've 

j  j 

always    said    I    did  —  in    the 

* 

partnership.      Now  do  one  for 
1 

me." 


Potter  sighed.    He  was  used 
to  being  martyrised  where  women 
were    concerned    and    had 
learned  how  to  resist.    "Well, 

if  you  say  so.    But  I  '11  have  to 

V  1//7)  •?/ 


^^^  // 
not 

ell, 


^SSSsj 

srw"N^ 

^o. 


-. 


Witrw 


D 


(AT 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

leave  them  there.  Two  months 
is  my  limit." 

"  All  right,"  assented  the  senior, 
gleefully. 

"  Perhaps,"  thought  Potter, 
"  perhaps  they  won't  be  able  to 

W^A\-V\  /'  '! 

pack  in  time."  And  the  idea 
seemed  to  please  him. 

For  half  an  hour  longer  they 


chatted,  and  then  Potter  rose. 

"Tell  me,  Champney,"  inquired 
.the  senior,  "how  did  you  find 
out  about  it?" 

"  Oh,"  laughed  Champney, 
"that's  telling." 


0%^Pm  &: 

Hoi^  EJS* 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

The  next  day  there  was  woe 
in  Israel.  Mr.  De  Witt  was  cross 
over  the  "  children's  folly,"  as 
he  called  it.  Mrs.  De  Witt  was 
deeply  insulted  at  such  sudden 
and  peremptory  marching  orders. 
"Men  are  so  thoughtless,"  she 
groaned ;  "  as  if  one  could  be 
ready  to  go  on  a  day's  notice  1 " 
Champney  was  blue  over  the 
spoiling  of  his  trip.  Freddy,  when 
he  heard  the  news,  was  the  pic 
ture  of  helplessness  and  misery, 
and  only  added  to  the  friction  by 
coming  round  and  getting  in 

38 


f   V 


A    WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

everybody's  way,  in  the  rush  of 
the  packing.  As  for  Frances, 
she  dropped  many  a  secret  tear 
into  the  trunks  as  her  belongings 
were  bestowed  therein.  Never, 
it  seemed  to  her,  had  true  love 
been  so  crossed. 

"  I  know  Mr.  Potter  is  at  the 
bottom  of  it."  (Frances  was  not 
alluding  to  the  trunk  before  which 
she  knelt.)  "  He 's  always  doing 
mean  things,  yet  he  never  will 
acknowledge  them.  He  won't 
even  pay  me  the  respect  of  deny- 
ing  them."  Frances  slapped  a 

39 


^ 


sm>  '/     ^A^s^XJr/yM///i/A\  M«    //    Y  vv-X:   Mn 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

shawl  she  was  packing,  viciously. 
"  To  think  of  having  to  travel 
with  him !  He  won't  even  look 
at  me.  No.  He  does  n't  even 
pay  me  the  compliment  of  look 
ing  at  me.  I  don't  believe  he's 
even  noticed  my  eyes  and  eye 
lashes."  Frances  gazed  into  a 
hand-glass  she  was  about  to 
place  in  the  trunk,  and  seemed 
less  cross  for  a  moment  after  the 
scrutiny.  "  He  's  just  as  snubby 
as  he  can  be.  I  hate  snubby  people, 


WA- 

^4  fc/ 


A   WARNING   TO    LOVERS 

"  Good  afternoon,  Frances,"  in- 


A  /; 

terrupted  a  voice,  which  made 
that    young    lady    nearly    jump 


I  \SV  / 


into  the  trunk  she  was  bending 
over.      "I   came  up  to  see  if  I 

•\    i      ^^x"1"          \   M' 

could   do   anything  for   you  or 

*          i  i 


your  mother,  and  she  sent  me 
in  to  ask  you." 

Frances  was  rather  flushed,  but 

"^'^  ~^^  \ff 

that  may  have  been  due  to  the 

<? ;  ;•'(/     C^X  /A  i\ 

stooping  position.    "  I  don't  think 
of  anything,"  she  answered. 

"  I  've   had  some  chairs  sent 
on  board,  and  laid  in  novels  and 

*•'.,         >;,  /  '~\L:<-) 

smoked  glasses  and  puzzles ;  and 


X  ""ww>\     /A 

r^^V  \(*4&/\    m 


o 


rj>  /    LS 

x/J 


"'4V 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

— (l    /  ) 

/]  \  f  J 

oysters,    and    game,  and    fruit 

and  butter."  said  Thnmnnpv  witf 


and  butter,"  said  Champney,  with 
a  suggestion  of  weariness,  "  and  I 
don't  think  of  anything  else.  If 
you  can  suggest  something  more, 
I  '11  get  it." 

"I  don't  know  —  Yes.  You 
might  change  your  mind  and 
let  us  stay  at  home,"  snapped 
Frances. 

"  Don't  blame  me  for  that," 
laughed  Champney.  "  That  's 
your  father's  doings." 

"  I  know  you  were  at  the  bot 
tom  of  it,"  charged  Frances. 


, 


-     m 

A  WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

^nvj)! 

"  My    dear    child  —  "    began 

(\  J\ 


Champney. 
"  I  'm  nol 


I  'm  not  your  child,  and  I  'm 
not  a  child,  and  I  won't  be  deared 
by  you,"  cried  Frances. 

"  Madame  Antiquity,"  re 
sponded  Champney,  bowing,  "  I 
assure  you,  that  far  from  wishing 
to  force  you  to  go  on  this  trip 
with  me,  I  only  agreed  to  take 
you,  at  your  father's  request,  and 
at  a  great  personal  sacrifice  to 


myself." 

J 


Frances    turned,   and    banged 
down  the  lid  of  her  trunk.    Then 

43 


/ 


Y»C>c^SsS     « 

$3^XvJ  <^^\ 

•    '  L-'i-^-^  V'.  //  ^--V_^-^— •*  ts*T~~ 


Xs) 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


she  banged  it  again,  to  get  the  hasp 
to  fit.  Then  she  picked  up  a  pair 
of  discarded  boots  and  threw  them 
across  the  room,  hitting  Freddy, 
who  entered  at  that  moment. 
"Why,  sweetness!"  gasped 


ney. 


"  Oh,  go  away,"  cried  Frances, 


Freddy,  who  did  not  see  Champ- 

I|^/C$JA 
VW^ 

7      O J1 7 

blushing.     "  Don't  bother  me  ! 
Can't  you  see  I  'm  too  busy  to 

rfy-~-  ^:^^  w\  s^'\  '  '""   : 

waste  time  now?" 


And  to  illustrate  the  callous 
ness  of  man  to  true  love,  it  is 
regrettable  to  state  that  Champ- 

44 

— C-/K  ^-^  A      ^$\  ^}     r\v  /^    '^*===:::::::5^ 
Wv^iiik     M^*    m^M^ 

v 'V tff\<  1    J^4 <     //^^ sr^g^   ^r^'\ 

*\     N^VI/  l^^L'^-^^-J ^ t~>if     vi\  \if  ^\€T  --  •>&\j(^       s&}k? — IT" 

\^!/^rar^S^  w^v^^x^lV^ 

^ftM^l^^Mfe 


I  'm  not  a  child,  and  I  won't  be  deared  by  you'  " 


A  £$} 
/p  t$i 


-^•^^>-  ^s 

A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

ney  slipped  out  of  the  door  at 
this  point,  with  an  expression  of 


great  muscular  tension  about  his 
mouth,  and  no  sooner  was  he  in 
the  hall  than  the  brute  reeled  up 
against  the  wall  and,  leaning  there, 
laughed  to  a  sinful  degree. 

Then  he  walked  to  the  end  of 
the  hall,  and  entering  a  room, 
also  cluttered  with  trunks,  he  sat 
upon  one  of  them  and  retold  the 
scene  to  the  woman  packing.  "  I 
never  saw  anything  so  delicious 
in  its  way,"  he  laughed.  "  I 


really  believe  the  medicine's  begun 

•  "     / 


x&.    \, 


^ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 
to  work  already.    But  do  you 

x*'^^-'         '"l\'.  A     \        \    ' 

know,  Frances  promises  to  be  a 
tremendous  beauty.  Just  now, 
when  her  cheeks  and  eyes  were 
blazing  so,  she  was  simply  glori 
ous  to  look  at."  Which  shows 
that  Champney's  cool,  disregard 
ing  manner  was  not  more  than 
skin  deep,  and  that  unlimited 
possibilities  lay  underneath.  Per 
haps,  too,  another  potion  was 
beginning  to  work. 

"  I  'm  sorry  she  is  so  childish 
with  you,  Champney,"  said  Mrs. 
De  Witt. 

46 


u\  //  Pw?^  x-'   23iW  V 

rWA-M^^^i\ 


<L/V, 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


"  Don't  trouble  yourself  about 

•^ 

that.  I  really  don't  mind  it ;  in 
deed,  I  am  afraid  I  rather  enjoy 
it.  It 's  much  rougher  on  her 
than  on  me,  for  she  really  feels 
it,  and  it 's  the  person  who  loses 


his  or  her  temper  who  suffers  the 

most." 

W   ^ 


"  I  hope  the  dear  child  will  try 

v  *v  f  7     i  i*  \     ^** 

to  be  more  amiable,  for  naturally 
she's  sweetness  itself,  and  it's 
bad  enough  to  be  saddled  with 
us  without  making  your  trip 
worse  than  need  be.  It 's  so 
good  of  you  to  take  us  1 " 


y^L^c^-vv    k  n//\\' 

^^ss*£  -A  )J/M^< 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"  Dear  lady,"  answered  Champ- 
ney,  tenderly,  "  it 's  nothing  but 
a  little  set-off  against  your  years 

~^¥r^l^\^ 


of  goodness  to  me.  You  have 
really  given  me  a  second  home ; 
nothing  I  can  ever  do  will  make 


Lii\\v/y 

me  other  than  your  debtor." 

•* 

**    Ti-      c-      v\  t  r*  n      4-/~\      M/\O»*      tr/^ii       oo 


"  It 's  nice  to  hear  you  say  so, 
Champney,"  said  Mrs.  De  Witt, 
affectionately.  "  I  have  always 
felt  as  if  you  were  a  son  of 

•  M 

mine. 

«TU 


Then  don't  talk  to  me  about 
my  goodness    in   taking   you." 
"  But  it  is  good  of  you." 


48 

r-s 


Nft 


•aps  ^*» 

^s\  i   "V 

k<-5Cl.':/5%s? 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"  I    don't    think    Freddy  and 
Frances  think  so." 


* 

how    did    you    find    out    their 

j 


foolishness  ?  " 

"That  is  a  secret,"  chuckled 
Champney,  "  that  goes  with  me 
to  the  grave." 


Nor  was  it  any  better  for  Cupid 
the  next  day  at  the  steamer.    The 


evil  genius  of  the  little  god,  in 
the  shape  of  Potter,  persisted  in 


following  Frances  about,  and  not 
a  moment  did  she  or  Freddy  find 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


;t_-r-.^'       //~-        \\ 

\W&h 

•  ~x7\  \  i*-' 

to  swear  constancy  or  anything 
else  to  each  other.    Only  a  hand 


squeeze,  while  the  whistle  was 
blowing  "  all  ashore,"  did  they 


get  to  feed  their  hearts  upon  dur 


ing  the  separation. 
Freddy  went  home,  and,  going 


» 


to  his  room,  flung  himself  on  his 

bed,   and  moaned,  and  bit  the 

i*i  \ 

pillow,  and  felt  he  was  feeling 
great  thoughts,  and  thought  he 

,    i •    .  .  _.L   r__t«    . 


was  having  great  feelings. 

And  the  little  lady? 

"No,"  she  declared,  "I  don't 
want  to  walk  with  you;  I  don't 


T? 

/"•) 


! 


A   WARNING  TO  LOVERS 

^LJ^i 

want  a  steamer  chair;  I  don't  want 

anything;  I  only  want  to  be  left 
al-o-o-o-o-ne,"  and  —  running  to 
her  stateroom,  she  flung  herself 


upon  the  lounge  and  wept  over 
her  unhappiness.  "  Oh,  Freddy, 
Freddy,"  she  sobbed,  "  only  be 
true  to  me,  that 's  all  I  ask." 

But,  alas,  how    is    humanity 
constituted  !    The  next  morning, 


Freddy,  after  a  final  look  at  him 
self  in  a  tall  mirror,  remarked  to 

\\     if" 

the    vision  :    "  Yes,  that 's  very 
tony.    Now,  I  '11  take  a  walk  on 


the   Avenue,  so  as  to  give  the 

"  WC    /.I  / 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

girls  a  treat."  As  for  Frances, 
after  an  hour's  rapid  walk  with 
Champney  in  the  crisp,  sunny  air, 
she  came  down  to  the  breakfast- 
table,  and  said:  "Yes,  steward, 

^S 

I  '11  begin  with  fruit  and  oatmeal, 

'\\  v"'         ^\  t 

and  then  I  '11  have  chocolate,  and 

beefsteak,  and  an  omelette,  and 

i  j  l^arrSA  K^w2*$$$& 

fried    potatoes,    and    hot    rolls, 

and  marmalade.  Oh!  And, 
steward,  do  you  have  griddle 
cakes?" 

Thus,  despite  their  mutual  in 
tentions,  the    thought  of    each 


other  lessened  daily,  till  even  the 

V   1/O 

V~.r.    X\''   <S'. 


A  WARNING  TO  LOVERS 


^  A 

^M 


inevitable  correspondence  lost  in 
terest  and  flagged.    Frances  dis- 

:.r<-:/     *.f. 

covered  that  London,  Paris,  and 


the  Riviera  offered  greater  attrac- 
vv\       tions  than   Freddy's  witless  and     : 
vapid  "  chronicle  of  small  beer;  " 

•^v  £     <•         i 


while  Freddy  found  that  listening 


to  the  conversation  of  a  girl, 
present,  was  a  far  better  way  of 
spending  time  than  reading  the 

«     ',"/'      ,-jjx     fff\  ^V^7\VfeJ<^^V 

letters  of  a  girl,  absent.  Finally, 
Frances  found  a  letter  at  the 
bankers  at  Berne  which  ended 


the    correspondence,  —  a    letter 

-4    M  ^-^ 

X      J  "X    1  r-^J 

^/K/ 


over  which  she  laughed  so  heartily 

^a 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

that  Champney  looked  up  from 
his  own  bundle  of  mail  and  asked, 
"What  is  it  that's  so  funny?" 

"  Freddy 's  engaged  to  Kitty 
Maxwell,"  replied  Frances. 

"I  don't  think  you  ought  to 
be  so  gleeful  at  other  people's 
misfortunes,"  reproved  Champ 
ney,  laughing  himself,  however, 
while  speaking,  as  if  he,  too, 
saw  something  humourous  in  the 
announcement. 

"  I  —  I  was  n't  —  I  was  laugh 
ing  at  something  else,"  Frances 
told  him. 


»•*-   NJ 

^JSam 


c''          Yd 

A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"  What  ? "  asked  Champney. 

A    secret,"  replied    Frances, 
blushing    a    little,    even    while 

1          V 

laughing. 

"Not  from  me  ?  "  urged  Champ- 
ney. 

"Yes;  Isha'n'teven  tell  you. 
Not  a  person  in  the  world  will 
ever  know  it,  and  1  'm  very  glad," 
asserted  Frances. 


"  I  suspect  I  know  it  already," 
suggested  Champney.    "  I  am  a 

great  hand   at  finding  out    se- 

•^^:: 

crets.    I  have  a  patent  method." 

s. 


;'  What  is  that  ?  "  asked  Frances. 

^ 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 


"  That,  too,  is  a  secret,"  laughed 
Champney. 


* 
#    * 


When  next  we  meet  any  of 
our  characters,  they  —  or  at  least 
two  of  them  —  are  toiling  up 
a  steep  mountain  path  in  the 
Bavarian  Tyrol.  Frances  leads, 
for  the  way  is  narrow,  and 
Champney  follows.  Conversa 
tion  is  at  a  marked  discount ;  but 
whether  this  is  due  to  the  natural 


incompatibility  of    the  two,   or 
merely  to  the  exertion  of    the 

j  MA^ 

climb,  is  unknown  to  history. 

V.        j  •//    ' 

\  y 

•~S/i>  ^  t\\-/"v         if"*5*^  ^Cx^-v^P 


A  WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


y\, 

"^y^vS-r-^ 

"  She  gets  lovelier  every  day," 
finally  remarked  Champney. 

Frances  stopped,  and  turned. 

. 

"  What  did  you  say?"  she  asked. 


"I    didn't   speak,"    answered 
Champney. 

"I'm    sure    you    did,"    said 

\  \  \ 

Frances. 

"No,"   denied  Champney,  "I 
was  merely  thinking." 

•"- .    .{•'      C?"\   I '     ' 

"  You  did  say  something,  I  'm 

V£>     \S7'f&*& 

sure,"   responded  Frances,  turn- 

/'  ''\"^M\  ^'//^~7  _jl-i     "        7*!' 

ing,  and  resuming  the  climb. 

Another  five  minutes  brought 
them  to  the  top  of  a  little  plateau 


57 


^^^^f^f"^!?^^1 

^^fe^^S^"0 

fJPSP 
GiH 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 


set  in  between  two  ranges  of 
mountains,  and  dividing  two 
lakes,  famous  the  world  over. 
Even  after  the  couple  reached 
their  destination,  however,  they 

» 

stood  silent  for  a  minute.  Then 
Frances  exclaimed,  — 

"Is n't  it  glorious?" 

"  Lovely,"  assented  Champ- 
ney,  emphatically,  but  staring  all 


speaking. 


A  S\ 


the    time    at    Frances,    making 
it    doubtful    of    what    he    was 

Ar 

Frances,  being  quite  conscious 
of  this  gaze,  looked  all  the  harder 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


at  the  view.     '  The  mountains 


shut  in  so  grandly!"  she  remarked, 
after  a  pause. 


"  Such  perfect  solitude  !  "  said 
Champney,  enthusiastically. 

"  Yes,"  assented  Frances,  with 
apparent  reluctance  in  admitting 
the  fact.  "But  I  suppose  we 


must    be    going    down    again ; 
mama  will  be  lonely." 

Champney  calmly  seated  him 
self  on  a  stone,  unstrung  his  field- 
glass,  and  surveyed  through  it 
the  edge  of  the  lake,  far  below 

I  Vi   A  \\  /-^_S^ 

them.     :'Your  mother,"   he  an- 

59 

^\^i 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

nounced,  "  is  sitting  on  the  rug, 
just  where  we  left  her.  Her  back 
is  against  the  tree,  and  she  is 

j          iv  _  J          r-»     L      _i.  .   >_ 


pretending  to  read.    But  she's 
it  \" 

doing  nothing  of  the  kind.    She 
0 

is  taking  a  nap  on  the  sly.    Surely 
you  don't  want  to  disturb  her?  " 


"  It  must  be  nearly  luncheon 
time." 
"The  boatmen  haven't  even 


begun  to  unpack  yet.    Johann 

\V\      v~     ;','  V.      .^. 


is  just  taking  the  Voslauer  out  of 


the  boat,  to  cool  it  in  the  lake. 

iCl   *'/J     x"^  '"'     'if  ^    I  """•''    "^   T -.''•'         /\ 

They  won't  be  ready  for  half  an 
an  hour." 


60 


P>tR 

Ci/s 

r  \  -i' 


A'  /,/       // 

i  y~- 


4>    o^o  p,r°^ 

^  lijiyr 


>• 


^^\1^ 
SA.; 


^ 


^p 


/-' 


^///c. 

^s^\ 


'    ) 


^y     ~~^^>^2 

A   WARNING  TO  LOVERS 


Frances  began  to  look  a  little 
worried.  There  was  a  dangerous 
persistence  in  this  evident  desire 
to  remain  on  the  alp.  "  I  think 
I'll  go  down,  anyway,"  she 
said. 

^-/M 


"  You  must  n't  do  that,"  begged 


mtt 


Champney,  laying  the  field-glass 
on  the  rock. 

"Why  not?"  demanded  Frances. 

"  Because  I  have  something  to 
say  to  you,"  said  Champney. 

Silence  and  apparent  interest  in 
the  view  on  the  part  of  Frances. 


T 


;  Do  you  know,"  asked  Champ- 

•/  * 

61 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 


ney,  "  that  I  planned  to  be  away 
for  only  two  months  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  that  I  have  been  over 
here  more  than  eight  ?  " 

"  Oh,  not  so  long  as  that," 
denied  Frances. 

"Eight  months  and  four 
days." 

"How  quickly  the  time  has 
gone ! " 

"But  it  has  gone,  and  that's 
the  trouble.  I  have  decided  that 
I  must  go  back  in  September." 

Frances  hesitated,  and  then  said 

62 

iMj^ 


^> 


\  \ — i  V^ 

c^\>^r 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

bravely,  "  We  shall  be  very  sorry 
to  have  you  go." 

"  That  makes  it  all  the  harder," 
groaned  Champney,  rising  and 
joining  Frances.  "  In  fact,  I  hate 
so  to  leave  you  "  ("  you  "  can 
be  plural  or  singular)  "  over  here 
that  —  that  I  want  you  to  go 
back  with  me.  Will  you  ? " 

"Why,  that  is  for  mama  and 
papa  to  settle,"  remarked  Frances, 
artfully  dodging  the  question, 
though  perfectly  understanding  it. 

"This  isn't  to  be  settled  by 
fathers  and  mothers.  My  dar — 

63 


^llf 


U— — iO 


^m 


<F 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

my  —  I  want  you  to  go —  because 
you  have  become  so  dear  to  me. 
I  want  to  tell  you — to  tell  you 
how  I  have  grown  to  love  you  in 
these  months.  How  happy  you 
can  make  me  by  a  single  word. 
I  —  you  —  once  you  told  me  you 
were  not  '  my  dear  child.'  Oh, 
Frances,  won't  you  be  my  dearest 
love?" 

"If   you    want   me    to    be," 
acceded  Frances. 


*  * 


One  of  the  simplest  laws  of 
natural    philosophy    is     that    a 


64 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

thing  descends  more  easily  than  it 
ascends.  Yet  it  took  those  two 
over  four  times  longer  to  come 
down  than  it  had  taken  them  to 
go  up,  —  which  proves  that  love  x 
is  superior  to  all  the  laws  of  grav 
ity;  though  it  is  not  meant  to 
suggest  by  this  that  it  has  aught 
to  do  with  levity.  From  among 
a  variety  of  topics  with  which 
they  beguiled  this  slow  descent 
the  following  sentences  are 
selected : 

"I  can't  believe  it  yet,"  mar 
velled  Champney.     "  It  does  n't 

5  65 


•v___  - — -<--       i  ^-*~^ 

"^r=^r     ^^  ^ 

A   WARNING   TO  LOVERS 

seem  as  if  our  happiness  could 
have  depended  on  such  a  small 
chance." 

"  What  chance  ?  " 

:<Why  — on  that  evening. 
When  I  found  your  mother  was  n't 
in,  I  half  turned  away,  but  after 
hesitating,  decided  to  wait.  And 
then,  when  I  found  you  two  in 
the  morning-room,  I  decided  that 
I  would  leave  you,  and  go  and 
read  in  the  library.  I  was  just 
about  to  say  so,  when  you  told 
me  to  sit  down  by  you  on  the 
sofa.  That  led  to  our  coming  off 
^  ft/. 


;  It  took  those  two  over  four  times  longer  to  come  down  than 
it  had  taken  them  to  go  up" 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 


§ 

here  together,  and  really  finding 
I  \1  i  / 

out  about  each  other.    Of  course 

that  was  equivalent  to  my  falling 
desperately  in  love." 
"  But  you  could  have  done  that 

at  home,"  laughed  Frances,  merrily. 

•  • 

"  No,  I  should  have  come  off 

/    r^A    -*/  ^ 

here,  and  some  other  man  would 

u 

have  won  you. 
"Champney!     I  never  could 

i          */ 

love  any  one  but  you." 

Champney  swallowed  the 
absurd  statement  rapturously. 
"That's  just  like  the  angel  that 

j  *~* 

you  are,"  he  declared. 

67 


'  \      v 


A    WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"  But  I  knew  you  had  some 
thing  to  do  with  our  coming," 
asserted  Frances,  "though  you 
did  deny  it." 

"  No ;  like  a  consummate  don 
key,  I  did  n't  want  to  be  bothered 
with  you.  Conceive  of  it,  dear 
one,  that  I  could  ever  think  you 
a  bother! " 

"You  didn't  know  me," 
laughed  Frances,  happily,  and 
with  no  intention  of  vanity. 

"No,  I  should  think  not.  I 
wanted  your  father  to  take 
you.  But  I  shall  never  want 

,A 

cX"//  -JK  e^-\-  • 


v^  ^"fr 


Aw 


'  ^ 


€' 


A   WARNING   TO   LOVERS 

any  one  else  to  do  that  in  the 
future." 

"  But  why  did  you  want  me 
to  go  to  Europe,  if  it  was  n't  to 
be  with  me?" 

"  Why  —  um  —  because,  dear 
one,  I  saw  a  little  girl  that  night 
who  was  longing  so  for  love  that 
she  was  accepting  a  cheap  and 
flashy  counterfeit  in  its  stead.  I 
did  n't  want  her  to  waste  a  real 
heart  on  such  an  apology  for  a 
man,  and  so  I  interfered." 


"But  how  did  you  know? 
cried  Frances,  looking  bewildered. 


&.- 
C 

»> 


69 


A  WARNING   TO  LOVERS 

\\        '"* 

"  We  had  only  just — you  could  'nt 
have  known  it  then  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"How?" 

Champney  laughed  as  he  re 
plied  :  "  That 's  telling." 


* 
*  * 


And  now,  another  leap,  please, 
back  to  that  fireplace,  and  sofa, 
again  occupied  by  two  —  but  not 
the  same  two  —  or,  at  least,  only 
half  the  same. 

"Well,"  groaned  Champney, 
"  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  going, 
for  you  must  look  your  prettiest 


Wf 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

to-morrow,  otherwise  malicious 
people  will  say  it 's  a  match  ar 
ranged  for  the  business." 

"Let  them,"  laughed  Frances. 

\x\ 

"  By  the  way,  how  have  you  ar 
ranged  about  that  ?  You  are  such 
a  good  business  man,  and  papa 
and  mama  are  so  delighted,  that 
I  know  you  have  the  best  of  it. 

"  Of  course  I  have.  And  she's 
sitting  beside  me  now.  But  noth 
ing  mercenary  to-night,  Madame," 
ordered  Champney.  "  Cupid,  not 
cupidity." 


"  Well,    Champney,    dear,    at 


(.  V 

A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

least  do  tell  me  how  you  found 

out  about  —  about  —  "     Frances 
r^-ir 

stopped  there. 

"  Never,"  persisted  Champney, 
nestling  back  on  the  sofa  and 
laughing. 

"1  don't  think  it's  nice  for  a 
man  to  have  secrets  from  his 
wife,"  reproved  Frances,  taking 
an  eminently  feminine  view  of 
man's  knowledge. 

"  That  is  to  be,"  corrected 
Champney. 

"Will  you  tell  me  — after  to 
morrow  ?  " 

72 


VxX 


•A  Ur/  \^//  i  /A\  \>^ 


A   WARNING  TO   LOVERS 

"  No." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 
"  It 's  too  good  to  be  told." 
"  Ah,  Champney  1 "      And  a 
small  hand  strayed  round  his  neck, 

V       ^"-"^  ^^ife^C 

and  rested  lightly  against  his  cheek. 
Champney  looked  very  contented. 

"  Please,  dear."  And  a  pair  of 
lips  came  dangerously  close  to  his 
own. 

Champney  groaned  a  satisfied 
groan.  "  Well,"  he  began,  "  do 
you  remember  when  I  came  in 
the  evening  before  we  sailed,  how 
Freddy  was  sitting  over  there, 


73 


%(Jlf 

<yAl 

^9m^iJ^^ 

yj    (/JwmJ/  ^^\' 

^~7          I ' '          **.      *}~::^*=^-^- :~~-**^-- -<T  /T> •  ,->  ~~     -, 


A   WARNING   1O   LOVERS 

and  you  were  sitting  just  where 
you  are  ? " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  how  you  let  me  sit  down 
here,  just  where  I  am  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And   how   I    chatted  for    a 


moment  and  then  suddenly  be 


came  silent? 
"Yes." 

"That  was  when  I  discovered  it." 
"How?" 
"  1  found  that  the  seat  I  was 


sitting  in  was  warm!" 


i^&'^ 


; 


"SAUCE 


FOBJTHE  GOOSE 

^ 

b     IS  SAUCE 


FOR  THE  GANDEK1 


"SAUCE  FOR  THE  GOOSE  IS 
SAUCE  FOR  THE  GANDER" 


H,    my  dear!" 

•A       U 

cried    her 

•    '"  /"-:''";^J\    I  ^V 

mother.      "I 

•^          '^.^.. .-+-• v.  JWi'l  *"V>^    \  r^ 

hope  you  have 
properly    con 
sidered  ?      He 
is    charming,  of  course,  but  — 


well — he  is  such  a  club  habitue." 

"What?    Well,    well!"   ex- 

claimed  her  father.    "  Bless  me, 

Meg,  I  had  no  idea —    Give  me 

77 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GOOSE   IS 


a  kiss,  if  you  have  any  to  spare 

for   your  old  dad    now.     Why, 

j  j> 

of  course,  I  consent,  if  you  care 
for  him.  Only  tell  Mr.  Tyler  I 
hear  he  spends  too  much  time 
at  his  clubs." 

"  Margaret !  How  nice !  "  ejac 
ulated  her  sister.  "  I  've  liked 
him  from  the  start,  and  hoped  — 
people  said  he  was  too  fond 

xM    ^^  ••'----"'v^ 

of  his  club  ever  to  care  to  marry, 
and  so  I  thought  —  but  now  it 's 
all  right." 

"  I  knew  he  meant  biz,"  asserted 
her    brother,   "the    moment   he 
•<**& 


^ 


SAUCE   FOR   THE   GANDER 

began  to  keep  away  from  the 
club,  and  put  in  so  much  time 
with  you." 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,  my  dear 
est  Margaret  (if  I  may  call  you 
that  ?) "  wrote  his  mother,  "  how 
happy  I  am  over  what  my  dear 
boy  has  just  told  me.  The  luxury 
and  ease  of  club  life  are  now  so 
great  that  I  had  almost  feared 
Harry  could  not  be  weaned  from 
them.  But  since  he  has  chosen 
such  a  dear,  beautiful,  and  clever 
girl,  my  worst  anxiety  is  over." 

"  You  are  indeed  to  be  con- 

79 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GOOSE   IS 

gratulated,  niece,"  declared  her 
aunt.  "  He  is  a  most  eligible 
parti — good  looks,  position,  and 
wealth.  If  you  can  only  keep 
him  away  from  his  clubs,  I  am 
confident  you  will  be  a  very 


happy  and  domestic  couple." 

\Y 

"  I  have  been  certain  of  it  for 
weeks,"    her    dearest    feminine 

i^     ' 'f^s^JUrfS* 

friend  assured  her.  ;<  There  is  n't 
a  man  I  would  rather  have  had 
you  take,  for  he  is  so  much  at 
his  club  that  I  shall  still  see  some 
thing  of  you." 
"  Er,  Miss  Brewster,"  said  one 

80 

\  ;_//—.    ~>L 


SAUCE  FOR   THE  GANDER 

of  her  rejected  lovers,  "let  me 
offer  you  my  best  wishes.  At 
the  club  we  all  swear  by  Harry, 
and  we  actually  think  of  going 
into  mourning  over  the  loss.  Er, 
the  fellows  are  laying  bets  as  to 
whether  we  shall  ever  see  him 
there  again.  The  odds  are  six  to 
one  on  the  club,  —  but  the  fellows 
don't  know  you,  you  know." 

"  I  want  to  offer  you  my  hearti 
est  congratulations,"  gushed  the 
girl  who  had  tried  for  him.  "  Mr. 
Tyler  has  always  been  one  of  my 
best  friends,  and  I  am  sure  you 


81 


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.,  ^ 


^  ^, 


JllSl 
s3%^ 

^p 

:\    ^\^u/ 

'Q^ 

$•  ^J    l/Mbf/ £ 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GOOSE   IS 


will  be  very  happy.  He  is  n't, 
of  course,  very  fond  of  women's 
society,  but —  Have  you  asked 
him  to  resign  from  his  clubs?" 


* 
*  * 


"  Don't  you  want  to  sit  down, 
Harry  ? "  asked  Margaret,  making 
room  on  the  little  sofa  beside  the 
fire. 

The  young  couple  had  enjoyed 
four  months  of  ecstatic  travel, 
thirty  days  of  chaos  while  they 
settled  their  household  gods,  and 
then  a  recurring  Indian-summer 

V   \     /•/          V. 

honeymoon  of    two  months  in 

82 


SAUCE   FOR  THE  GANDER 

front  of  their  own  fireside  in  the 
charmingly  cosey  library  where 
the  above  remark  was  made. 
Upon  this  particular  evening, 
however,  Harry,  in  following  his 
wife  from  the  dining-room,  took 
neither  his  customary  seat  beside 
his  wife  on  the  sofa  nor  lighted 
a  cigar.  On  the  contrary,  he 
stood  leaning  against  the  mantel 
with  anything  but  an  expression 
or  attitude  of  ease,  and,  noting 
this,  Margaret  had  asked  her 
question. 
"  Not  to-night,  dear,"  said 

83 


SAUCE   FOR  THE  GOOSE   IS 


Harry.     '  The  truth  is  —  well  — 

/^f/**Vs       \^\  ^^* 

I  met  Parmlee  on  my  way  up 
town,  and  I  —  that  is  —  he  asked 

me  to  come  round  to  the  club 
/ 

this    evening  — and,     well  —  I 

didn't  like  to  disappoint  him. 
And  then,  a  fellow  mustn't 
stag —  that  is  —  don't  you  think, 
my  darling,  that  it 's  a  mistake 

for  married   people  to   see   too 

,      r       ,     Jf  .      ,. 

much  of  each  other — and- 

"  Oh,  Harry  !  "  cried  Margaret, 
interrupting  and  rising.  "You 
said  you  never  could  have 
enough  —  " 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GANDER 

"And  I  can't,  dearest,"  inter 
rupted  Harry,  hurriedly.  "But  you 
know  -  Well  —  can't  you  - 

"  I  feel  as  if  it  were  the  begin 
ning  of  the  end,"  said  Margaret, 


wildly. 

"Now,  my  darling,"  pleaded 
Harry,  "  do  be  reasonable.  You 
know —  There,  don't  cry.  I 
won't  go.  Sit  down  here  and  let 
me  tell  you  how  much  I  love  you." 

This  occupied  some  time,  but 
the  clock  never  told  on  them,  so 
it  is  impossible  to  say  just  how 
long.  Presently  Margaret  said  : 

85 


SAUCE   FOR   THE   GOOSE   IS 

"  Harry,  did  you  really  want  to 
—  to  leave  me  ?  " 

"Not  a  bit,"  lied  Harry.  "It  was 
only  to  keep  my  word  to  Parmlee." 

"  I  suppose  it 's  too  late  now  ?  " 
questioned  Margaret,  hopefully. 

"  Late  ?    Oh,  no !     Fun 's  just 

J 

beginning.  But  I  'm  going  to 
stay  with  you,  sweetheart." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence, 
and  then  Margaret  said :  "  If  you 
want  to  go,  I  want  you  to  do  it, 
Harry." 

"  Well,"  responded  Harry,  ris 
ing,  "  if  you  insist,  dearest." 


86 


'This  occupied  some  time,  but  the  clock  never  told  on  them 


SAUCE   FOR   THE   GANDER 

"  I  do,"  assented  Margaret,  in 
the  most  faint-hearted  of  voices. 

"That's  a  darling!"  said  her 
husband.  "It's  half-past  nine, 
so  you  '11  only  have  a  few  minutes 
of  loneliness  before  you  go  to 
bed." 

"  I  sha'n't  go  to  bed,  Harry," 
sighed  Margaret,  dolefully. 

"  Why,  my  darling,"  protested 
Harry,  a  little  irritably,  "you 
don't  want  to  make  me  miserable 
thinking  of  you  as  here  by  your 
self.  Please  be  reasonable  and 
don't  sit  up  for  me.  Leave 

87 


5^  K^imiN)»m^ 


SAUCE   FOR   THE   GOOSE   IS 


want." 
"Very  well,  Harry,"   acceded 


me  free  to  come  home  when  I 

/\ 

I  '-,-> 

rjfftl 

Margaret,  dutifully, "  if  you  insist, 

I  won't  wait  for  your  return." 

J 

Harry  took  the  charming  face 
in  his  hands,  and  kissed  each 
eyelid,  and  then  the  lips.  "  I  don't 

wyyp 

£^fevfe 

serted,  his  conscience    pricking 


deserve  such  an  angel,"  he  as 
serted,  his  conscience  pricking 
him,  "  and  —  Oh,  hang  Parm- 
lee !  "  he  growled,  as  her  eyes,  a 
little  misty,  looked  up  into  his 
own.  However,  she  belonged  to 
him,  and  there  were  plenty  of 


lee !  "  he  growled,  as  her  eyes,  a 
own.    However,  she  belonged  to 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GANDER 

evenings,  and  — well  —   "  Good 
night,  my  treasure,"  he  ended. 

Margaret  remained  standing 
where  Harry  had  left  her  until 
she  heard  the  front  door  close ; 
then  she  collapsed  on  the  sofa 
and  softly  sobbed  her  sense  of 
desertion  and  grief  into  the  pillow. 
The  warnings  of  her  family  and 
friends  recurred  to  her,  and  added 
to  the  pain  of  the  moment  a 
direful  dread  of  the  future.  Not 
knowing  that  most  bachelors  are 
regular  club  men  merely  because 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GOOSE   IS 

it  is  the  nearest  approach  to  home 
life  they  can  attain,  she  dwelt  on 
his  having  been  apparently  wedded 
to  these  comforters  of  men,  be 
fore  marriage,  and  inferred  a 
return  to  his  former  daily  fre 
quenting  of  them. 

Her  grief  was  keen  enough  to 
prevent  her  from  noticing  that 
the  front  door  was  presently 
opened,  and  not  till  she  heard  a 
faint  cough  in  the  room  did  she 
raise  her  head  from  the  pillow. 
—" 


It  was  to  find  a  servant  with  his 


back  turned  to  the  sofa,  occupied, 

90 

z^^&f 


%nA 


•*-<    \x 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GANDER 


apparently,  in  setting  a  chair  in  a 
position  entirely  unsuited  to  it,— 
a  proceeding  he  made  far  more 

''"^**  VA* 

noisy  than  became  a  well-trained 
butler,  and  which  he  accompanied 
with  two  more  coughs. 

Hurriedly  wiping  her  eyes, 
Margaret  asked,  "  What  is  it, 
Craig?" 

With  his  eyes  carefully  focussed 
to  see  everything  but  his  mis 
tress's  face,  the  man  came  for 
ward  and  held  out  his  tray. 

Almost  mechanically  she  took 

the  card  upon  it,  and  after  a  mere 

1 

— k£ 


& 


SAUCE  FOR  THE  GOOSE   IS 

glance  she  directed,  —  "  Say  that 
Mrs.  Tyler  is  not  receiving  this 

II   I! '      ^Jp^^vrZ—r 

evening,  and  begs  to  be  excused." 
Left  alone  once  more,  the  young 
wife  sat  down  upon  a  stool 
near  the  fire,  and  looked  into  the 
blaze,  idly  twirling  the  card.  "  I 
wonder,"  she  soliloquised  pres 
ently,  "if  he  would  have  done 
the  same."  Again  she  lapsed 
into  meditation,  for  a  few  minutes; 
then  suddenly  she  sat  up  straight, 
with  an  air  of  sudden  interest 
which  was  clearly  derived  from 
her  own  thoughts.  A  moment 

92 


"H/A 


-  > .-  "s\ 


1) 


SAUCE  FOR  THE   GANDER 

later,  she  gave  a  short,  hesitating 
laugh.  "  If  I  only  dared !  I  won 
der  if  he  would?  Men  are- 
she  said  disconnectedly ;  but 
even  as  she  spoke  her  face  soft 
ened.  "  Poor  dear !  "  she  mur 
mured  tenderly.  Yet  the  words 
of  pity  melted  into  another  laugh, 
and  this  time  merriment  and  not 
guilt  was  the  dominant  note. 
Springing  to  her  feet  with  vivac 
ity,  she  sped  into  the  hall,  and 
placed  the  card  on  the  tray,  and 
that  in  turn  conspicuously  on  the 
hatrack.  A  second  action  con- 

93 


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j*»        <^^y  *•"  v.'      x 
SAUCE  FOR  THE  GOOSE   IS 

sisted  in  turning  on  all  the  electric 
lights  of  the  chandelier.  This 
done,  she  touched  the  bell. 

"You  may  close  the  house, 
Craig,"  she  ordered,  when  the 
servant  responded  to  the  sum 
mons,  "  but  as  Mr.  Tyler  has  gone 
to  his  club,  I  wish  you  to  leave 
these  lights  just  as  they  are.  I 


prefer  that  he  should  not  come 
home  to  a  darkened  house,  so 
don't  turn  out  one."  Giving  one 
last  glance,  half  merry  and  half 
guilty,  at  the  bit  of  pasteboard 


put  in  so  prominent  a  position, 

94 

>(       •' 

!  i 


-*-• "  •  •         r,  XT   '' 

SAUCE   FOR  THE   GANDER 

Margaret  lightly  tripped  upstairs, 
humming  something  to  herself. 

Meantime  Harry  had  wended 
his  way  to  the  club. 

"  Hello,  Tyler  1 "  said  the  man 
his  wife  had  refused.  "  Don't 

11  A 

mean  to  say  you  ve  actually  ceased 
to  be  one  of  the  'submerged 
tenth '  ?  How  and  where  is  your 
superior  moiety  ? " 

"  When  I  left  Mrs.  Tyler  before 
her  fire,  ten  minutes  ago,  she  was 
very  well." 

"  By  George,  if  I  had  as  clever 

95 


'/ 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GOOSE   IS 


and  pretty  a  wife  I  don't  think 


I  should  dare  to  leave  her  alone, 
should  be  afraid  of  the  other  men." 

Harry  turned  away  to  hide  his 
frown,  but  as  he  went  towards 
the  door  of  the  billiard  room,  re 
joined  :  "  Perhaps  it  would  n't  be 
safe  with  your  wife."  To  him 
self  he  carolled  gleefully  :  "  That 
cuts  both  ways." 

"  But  you  are  not  afraid,  I 
understand,"  called  the  man,  ir- 
ritatingly,  "  so  I  take  it  you  won't 
mind  if  I  drop  round  there  for  a 
few  moments  this  evening,  eh  ?  " 

96 


V  S 


SAUCE   FOR   THE  GANDER 

"  Certainly  not,"  responded 
Harry,  suavely,  but  gritting  his 
teeth.  "Hang  the  fellow,"  he 
muttered.  "  How  do  such  cads 
ever  get  into  decent  clubs?  As 
if  Margaret's  refusing  him  twice 
was  n't  enough  to  make  him 
understand  that  she  does  n't  want 
him  round ! " 

Tyler's  anger  was  quickly  for 
gotten  in  the  warm  reception  his 


cronies  gave  him,  and  a  tumbler 

quickly  made  him  forget  both  the 
incident  and  the  passing  hours. 

7  97 


.-  ~ 
SAUCE  FOR  THE  GOOSE   IS 

Not  till  the  marker  notified  the 
players  that  the  time  limit  had 
come  did  he  wake  to  the  fact  that 
it  was  two  o'clock. 

With  a  sense  of  guilt  the  hus 
band  hurried  home.  In  the  hall 
way,  as  he  took  off  hat  and  coat 
he  noticed  the  card,  and  picked 
it  up.  "So  he  did  come,"  he 
growled,  with  a  frown.  "  I  hope 
Meg  had  gone  to  bed  before  he 


got  here.  Not,  of  course,  that 
it  really  matters,"  he  went  on. 
"  She  told  me  she  never  could 
endure  him,  so  he 's  welcome  to 


m 

SAUCE  FOR  THE  GANDER 

call  as  often  as  he  likes  to  be 
(   '  i    • '  •/ 

snubbed."    To  prove  how  little 

he  cared,  the  husband  crushed 
the  card  viciously,  and  tossed  it 
on  the  floor. 

The  light  in  Margaret's  room 
was  burning  low,  Harry  noticed 
when  he  had  ascended  the  stairs, 
and,  peeping  in,  he  saw  that  she 
was  sleeping  peacefully.  Enter 
ing  quietly,  he  looked  at  her  for 
a  moment,  thinking  with  a  little 
pang  that  he  had  given  her  pain. 
"  You  don't  deserve  such  an 
angel,"  he  said  aloud.  "  See  how 

7,;' 
,'sA-X/  P\ 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GOOSE   IS 

she  has  done  just  what  you  asked 
her  to  do,  with  never  a  word  of  — 
There  is  n't  another  woman  who 

would  have  taken  it  so  sweetly. 

J 

You  're  an  ass  !  And  for  what  ? 
Four  hours  of  —  of  nothing,  when 
I  might  have  been  with  her." 
He  leaned  down  to  very  softly 
kiss  a  stray  curl,  and  went  towards 
his  own  room,  while  saying: 
"  How  pretty  and  dainty  she  is  I 
She  is  worth  all  the  clubs  in  the 
world ! "  What  was  more,  for 
a  minute  he  believed  it. 
The  moment  Harry  was  gone 

100 


rr 


'•J 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GANDER 

Margaret  opened  her  eyes  very 
wide,  rose  softly,  and  looked  at 
the  clock.  Then  she  went  back 

to  bed,  smiling  demurely. 

* 
*  * 

The  next  morning,  when  Harry 
entered  the  breakfast  room  a  little 
late,  he  was  received  with  a 
kiss,  and  no  word  of  reproach. 
Margaret  chatted  over  the  meal 
in  her  usual  entertaining,  happy 
mood,  telling  him  the  news  she 
had  already  extracted  from  the 
morning's  paper. 

"  She 's  too  clever  ever  to  nag 


101 


-/N 


CU^#" 


SAUCE   FOR   THE   GOOSE   IS 

a  man,"  thought  Harry,  and 
assured  that  he  was  not  to  be 
taken  to  task,  he  became  equally 
amiable,  and  told  her  whom  he 
had  seen  at  the  club,  and  of  his 
score. 

"  I  'm  glad  you  had  such  a 
pleasant  evening  ! "  said  Margaret, 
sweetly.  "I  hope  you  didn't 
stay  so  late  as  to  tire  yourself." 

"I  didn't  notice  the  time," 
fibbed  Harry,  "  but  probably  I 
was  in  by  twelve." 

"  Oh,  no,  dear,"  said  Margaret, 


pleasantly,  "  for  I  did  n't  get  home 


102 


«£r-     VV 


v_ 


&'- 


{  l\ 


SAUCE   FOR  THE   GANDER 

till  after   one   myself,  and  you 

weren't  back  then." 

* 

Twenty  times  Harry  has  tried 
to  persuade  his  wife  into  acknowl 
edging  that  she  spoke  in  jest, 
but  Margaret  only  looks  at  him 
with  wideopen,  questioning  eyes, 
as  innocent  as  a  child's.  Her 
husband  firmly  believes  that  she 
went  to  bed  ten  minutes  after  he 
left  the  house,  and  always  ends 
his  unsuccessful  attempts  to  get 
her  to  confess  the  fact  by  taking 
Margaret  in  his  arms  and  telling 


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v 


^    «8  ^ 


SAUCE   FOR   THE   GANDER 

her  of  his  belief.  This  faith  his 
wife  rewards  with  a  tender  kiss, 

but  only  a  kiss,  and  still  maintains 

i  M 

her  demure  silence. 

ii  i 

Harry  spends  no  more  evenings 

at  the  club,  and  every  woman 
who  knows  him  holds  him  up 
to  other  men  as  an  ideal  married 
Benedick. 


f^m 


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